


Patience Rewards Itself

by FarAwayInWonderland



Series: Tumblr Drabbles [5]
Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Books, Love Confessions, M/M, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-31
Updated: 2015-08-31
Packaged: 2018-04-18 08:14:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4698770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FarAwayInWonderland/pseuds/FarAwayInWonderland
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harvey got sick and Mike is stuck with babysitter duties on the orders of Jessica. Donna won't help and somehow The Hunger Games made them confess their love for each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Patience Rewards Itself

**Author's Note:**

  * For [marveyllous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/marveyllous/gifts).



> Say hello to me on [tumblr.](http://specter-und-ross.tumblr.com/)

People often assumed that Jessica Pearson was an impatient person. When she ordered things to be done she wanted them to be done yesterday already and woe to those who didn’t hurry to execute her demands as fast as possible. Consequently, many of her opponents – both internal and external – thought they could use that ‘weakness’ to win against the Iron Lady of PS.

Often Jessica had to supress the urge to laugh at them – or rather show her teeth – because nothing was further from the truth. She was a master of playing the long game; after all, she had spent much of her time and resources to prop up Harvey as her second-in-command and if there was something or someone that could taste your patience as much as Harvey Specter, then it had yet to be found.

Nevertheless, when Harvey entered the floor of PSL on a rainy Monday with red nose, unhealthy pale skin and made a Darth Vader impersonation with his voice, Jessica was ready to blow a fuse. How often had she told the man that – _under no circumstances_ – was he allowed to come to work when he was ill and a risk to himself and his co-workers?

Instead she just greeted him back and went back to her work.

During midday, when Jessica was sure that Harvey was out of his office, she walked straight to his red-haired secretary.

“Please do tell me why that oaf of a man thought it was a good idea to come into work when it´s obvious that he´s ill?” she asked Donna with dead-serious voice. The secretary just raised her eyebrow at Jessica.

“A Harvey Specter doesn´t get ill,” Donna replied and Jessica could practically hear apostrophes framing that sentence.

“And before you ask, I told him to go home several times and all it got me was the evil eye,” Donna continued. Jessica just rubbed her temples in a futile attempt to starve off the headache that Harvey was causing her.

“Where´s Harvey´s puppy?” she demanded to know. Donna´s eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh, you´re evil,” she said, grinning like the cat found the canary. “He´s in his cubicle. Harvey didn’t take him out on his walk today.” Jessica just nodded at Donna and then made her way straight to the bullpen where all the associates slaved away under Louis’ brutal rule. And indeed, Mike Ross was sitting at his desk, earphones in, text marker in his mouth and furiously going over a brief. Wasting no time, Jessica walked towards him and snatched his earphones out of his ear.

He was about to tell her off when he looked up and saw her. Jessica relished the flash of panic that flashed over his face. Nothing to stroke your ego like casting fear into the hearts of others.

“Jessica,” Harvey´s puppy gulped. “What can I do for you?” He was fidgeting with his fingers and biting on his lips. Wow, Harvey truly had his work cut out for him with that one. Mike may have been intelligent, but self-control and masking oneself was nearly as important as that.

“You,” Jessica said, pointing her finger at Mike whose eyes widened in fear, “will go to Harvey, right now and make sure that he gets his sick ass out of my firm and into his own bed and ensure that he won´t leave it until his voice doesn’t sound like he chewed on gravel any longer. Am I understood?”

“But Louis’ briefs…” Mike tried to mount a feeble defence, but Jessica would have none of it.

“Let me handle Louis,” she interrupted. “And you handle Harvey.”

“What makes you so sure that I can handle Harvey when you and Donna couldn’t?” Ah, so the puppy did have bite.

“What makes you sure that Donna or I weren’t able to handle Harvey?” Jessica asked.

“Because you´d never come to me otherwise?” Mike replied. “I´m a threat to your firm, I managed to turn Harvey against you and you would rather have me gone yesterday than tomorrow?”

“All valid points,” Jessica answered. “But I´m sure you can think of something. After all, Harvey doesn’t deny his puppy.” Then she turned around and walked away.

“Why does everyone call me that?” Mike shouted after her indignantly. Jessica just kept going and smirked.

* * *

 

“Donna.” Donna looked up from the email she was currently typing to see Mike standing in front of her desk, nervously fidgeting with his fingers.

“Jessica just visited your cubicle?” she asked the blonde and he looked at her in surprise.

“How do you know?” Donna just stared at him with a trace of annoyance. “Oh, you´re Donna, I get it, I get it.”

“And now you are here to ask me for help in getting Harvey to admit that he´s ill and needs to go home,” Donna commented while she continued typing. Nothing made people feel more insignificant than not being the complete centre of attention.

“Please?” Mike asked weakly, his blue eyes wide and staring at her.

“Nope,” Donna replied, popping the ‘p’ with her lips. Nothing in the whole world could make her babysit Harvey again. The last time had been such a disaster that she swore to herself to never get involved with a sick Harvey again.

Besides – she stole a short glance at Mike – it would do the puppy some good to spend time with Harvey. Maybe they would finally work out their issues. It was painful to watch those two dancing around each other – even Louis had already commented on it and, wow, that particular talk hadn’t been something Donna wanted to repeat, like, ever again. Harvey so owed her for that interference.

“But Harvey will never listen to me!” Mike implored her. “And if I fail Jessica will eviscerate me! Who would take care of Grammy then?” Donna looked up from her screen at Mike. The kid had to be truly desperate if he involved his beloved Grammy in the debate.

“Firstly, Mike,” Donna began, holding up her finger as warning sign, “don’t ever try to play me by addressing my non-existent concerns for the wellbeing of people outside the perimeter of my desk. Secondly –“ she held up another finger “- I already called Ray. He is waiting outside for you and if you hurry you may be able to catch Harvey off-guard. I´d run if I were you.” She smiled at him sweetly. Mike just nodded in defeat, turned around and walked towards the elevators.

“Ah, young love,” Donna sighed and went back to her work.

* * *

 

Harvey was more than a little surprised when he left the restaurant he had been dining in with a client only to find Mike standing on the sidewalk, leaning against Ray´s car.

“Didn’t I tell you to finish the Lexington briefs?” Harvey asked his associate more than a little annoyed.

“I wanted to,” Mike defended himself. “But then Jessica came to me and ordered me to make sure that you wouldn’t come back into the office because you´re ill.”

“I´m not sick!” Harvey snapped. Maybe to the outsider there were some things that made it look like he was – he had used more tissues today than in the whole year before, his nose was running, his eyes hurt, his voice had failed him just a few moments ago and it was either too hot or too cold no matter where he went – but that didn’t mean that he was ill.

“Harvey,” Mike replied. “You look like Death warmed over.”

“Says the person wearing a skinny tie,” Harvey shot back. When in doubt always go for the tie.

“Harvey,” the puppy whined. “If you come back to PS Jessica will have my head.” Mike looked pleadingly at him. And okay, Harvey couldn’t do that to him. Mike was his responsibility and he had to make sure that no one would come after him. He could do the work at his condo – he would be still working, but also make sure that Mike wouldn’t get in trouble with Jessica.

“I only do this so that Jessica won´t come after me,” Harvey tried to say haughtily, but the way Mike raised his hands in the air and did a little victory dance indicated that he had failed.

* * *

 

Harvey was woken up by Mike carefully shaking his shoulders.

“Harvey, we´re at your condo,” the younger man´s voice penetrated his foggy mind. Harvey opened his eyes and indeed, the car was parked right in front of the entrance doors. Harvey would never admit it, but it was slightly embarrassing that he had fallen asleep while Mike was in the car. What was wrong with him that he couldn’t even stay awake for the thirty minute journey?

“Alright, alright, Rookie,” he said and got out of the car only to nearly fall over when the world began spinning around him.

“Harvey, are you okay?” he could hear Mike asking him in panicked voice, but Harvey didn’t dare to answer him. He was pretty sure that if he opened his mouth right now he would throw up. Suddenly there was an arm around him, steadying him so that he wouldn’t fall over. Harvey could feel Mike´s body pressing against his side and he leaned into it, so that he wouldn’t fall over. Nothing more.

“Maybe, I´m a little bit sick,” Harvey conceded and he could feel Mike´s laugh vibrating through his body.

“Really?” Mike teased.

“You aren´t allowed to be a dick to me,” Harvey mumbled.

“Jessica isn´t allowed to be a dick to you,” he added as an afterthought. Maybe it had been quite good that Mike had come and taken Harvey here. Imagine if Louis had seen him in this condition!

“Yes, yes, I know,” Mike assuaged Harvey. “Only you are allowed to be a dick to me.”

“Exactly,” Harvey confirmed.

* * *

 

In hindsight Jessica´s insistence that Mike took Harvey home probably had been for the best, Mike mused as he watched Harvey laying on the couch all wrapped in at least four blankets. During the last few hours a fever had set in as well, which had forced Harvey to admit that he was in no shape to even think about doing any work. Now Harvey was sleeping on the couch and Mike was watching him.

Mike didn’t like to think about it, but over the last few months his admiration for Harvey had turned into something more. Harvey had given him the chance to live the life Mike could have had if it wasn’t for his shitty decisions. Being a lawyer meant everything to Mike and Harvey had made it possible. And he never judged Mike for his past – the only thing he was interested in was what Mike could achieve in the future and that was something that Mike cherished. There weren’t many people who did that; the moment Mike´s past came in the open they left, like it had been with Claire.

Harvey was everything Mike wanted to be: He was suave, self-confident, feared no one and nothing and knew the in and outs of the law like no one else. And he risked so much, just so that Mike could have the same. Maybe Harvey always insisted that he didn’t care, but all that showed that he did and how could Mike not love someone like that?

But Mike knew that Harvey would never reciprocate those feelings. Harvey didn’t do attachments. Every night another car and the woman that came with it. And why would he even bother with someone like Mike – genius, but high school dropout and smoker – when he could have the crème de la crème of Manhattan´s high society? So Mike had to make do with the occasional ‘good boy’ and the cases Harvey threw at him. Maybe one day Harvey would look at Mike the same way Mike looked at Harvey. But that was a hope that Mike had pushed back into the furthest corner of his mind – no use in torturing oneself every day anew.

Mike stood up from the stool he was sitting on and walked around the living room. He let his fingers roam over the spines of Harvey´s books. There were books about law, books about history (mainly US, but also European and even some Asian) and books about economy. They were all new and unused – probably only there to look impressive. Mike took one of the big volumes about US economy policy in the first half of the 20th century. It looked like it had never been opened, probably a gift from a client.

Mike was about to put the book back when he noticed something in between the gap in the shelf. Slowly he stretched out his hand and grabbed the object. When he pulled his hand back Mike had to supress a laugh when he looked at a well-read copy of the Hunger Games. Slowly he opened the book only to find a dedication on the first page.

_Uncle Harvey,_

_Mum and daddy say that you only read boring things and never for fun! I´m already eight and even I know that not having fun isn´t good for you, so I bought you this book, so that you have something to read for fun. I read it as well and I love Katniss. She reminds me of you! She is intelligent and brave and cares about everyone! I don´t like Peeta or Gale, though! Boys are cross and they only make everything more difficult for Katniss!_

_Love,_

_Katy Specter_

“She is right, though,” Mike murmured. “You are like Katniss. Intelligent, brave and caring – you fought for me, after all, even though I didn’t deserve it. But who would I be? Gale, probably. Always by your side, pining after you while all your attention is on the Peeta of the day.”

“I didn’t you read The Hunger Games,” Harvey´s voice broke Mike out of his reverie. Mike turned around, mortification written all over his face and looked at Harvey who sat up. The book slipped from Mike´s hand and the tump it made when it met the ground echoed through the whole living room.

“I have to go,” Mike said and nearly ran towards the door.

“Mike, wait!” Harvey called after him. “Mike, please!”

* * *

 

 _Well, that could have gone better_ , Harvey thought sardonically as he looked at Mike who was ready to bolt at moment’s notice. At least he was still in the condo.

“Can we just forget everything?” Mike pleaded, his cheeks still endearingly red from embarrassment. “I brought you home, took care of you and went on my own merry way. Nothing more…”

“You´re wrong, you know,” Harvey interrupted Mike´s rambling.

“What do you mean?” Mike asked confused, his embarrassment momentarily forgotten.

“You aren’t Gale,” Harvey continued. He swallowed. Now or never. “You´re Peeta.” In the silence that ensued you could have heard a pin dropping. Mike just stood there, staring at Harvey with wide eyes.

 _Please, say something_ , Harvey thought.

“What?” Mike spluttered.

“You´re Peeta,” Harvey repeated. “You´re loyal, you´re caring and you remember me of the other side of the law that isn´t multi-million Dollar contracts. You make me do more pro bono work in one month than I did in my whole career and I like it. Because I love to see how you smile, how you care for the clients, how you fight for them…” Harvey would have continued, but before he could react Mike had engulfed him in a fierce hug.

“I´d kiss you if you weren’t sick,” Mike mumbled into his shoulder.

“We have all the time in the world,” Harvey said while rubbed Mike´s back. And he meant it.

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the wonderful [skinnytiesandbluescarves](http://skinnytiesandbluescarves.tumblr.com/) who made a beautiful GIF-set for me and in return I present her with this fic she asked for. 
> 
> Hope that you liked it ;)


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